Rob & Elizabeth

We love printing our own designs here at Poppy, but clients also have the option of submitting their own artwork, which is exactly what Rob and Elizabeth opted for. It was so refreshing to print this sunny yellow and charcoal combination straight after printing black only for a couple of days. I think yellow is really going to be big this year, and you can see why - it's just so happy!

Sharlene & Alex

I ended up going mad for squirrels over this design - they're just so cute. Sharlene loves squirrels, and really got me hooked. This simple and quirky design let the couple have a bit of fun with their stationery, before needing some more serious invitations later on.

The little squirrel was hand-drawn at Poppy. We love creating custom illustrations for designs. It's one certain way to ensure that your concept is original and fun!

The backs of the Save the Dates held adhesive magnets, so family and friends are able to stick them to the fridge for reminders.

Gift registry alternative

For any brides out there trying to work out what to put on your gift registry when you both already have everything you need, here's a great idea - get your guests to donate to a nominated charity instead. Today I'm posting off some invitations and gift suggestion cards to Sara-Jane and Esther, and I've just loved working on the designs. This card is just a teaser though. The main photos will be up shortly.


It's funny how sometimes the most ugly things end up looking so beautiful. Take this rag for instance. The combination of pink and green made it look more like a lovely flower. I just had to share.

A treasure-trove of ink

I had a few boxes of miscellaneous items arrive with Plan B, and I still haven't got through them all. I've just opened one of them now to find 44 cans of inks, deglasers and varnishes. Some are probably dried right out and useless, but there's definitely a few in there that I'll be using a lot.

I just love the variety of old labels though. Also note the "Collies Ink" label - from the research I've done, it looks like they're the company that manufactured my Collie's Paragon press.

Popplet JAN 09 out now

The first edition of Popplet, our email newsletter, is out now. Leave us a comment with your email if you would like to be added to the mailing list (don't worry, I won't publish your email in the comments). Alternatively, drop us an email at louise [at] poppyletterpress [dot com dot au].

Presses in position

After a hot afternoon yesterday, the two presses are finally in their final positions ready to work. It took 5 people, one engine hoist, hired chains and a pallet jack to get them there. My anxiety levels were at an all-time high as we had each press dangle 1.5 feet in the air. When lifting Collie, we had four people standing on the engine hoist to counter-balance the lift, but still managed to (slowly) drop it on the ground, sending the skids through the wooden wall behind it.

All ended well though. No people or presses were harmed.

Here's a basic floor layout of the studio so far. The left side of the studio near the sink is still taken up with our housemate's storage for a few more weeks, but eventually that's where the platemaker and other units will go.

The new positions are great - lots of lighting and space around each press.

After thinking about the best name to give the new press, I've decided on "Plan B", since that's what I've been calling it anyway. And it was bought just for that - a plan B in case something goes wrong with Collie. At least that's how I like to justify this purchase...

It's great having another press here that's so similar to Collie. All rollers and chases are interchangable because they're the same size, so that makes parts easier. Plan B does have some lovely little features though, including the shots below: original 'lids' on some of the oil holes to prevent dust and debris getting in the holes, an original counter, and a foot treadle complete with the Chandler & Price logo as the grip. I'm not too impressed with the condition of the rollers though, so I'll be recovering them this year. In the meantime, I've still got great rollers on Collie.

Pregnancy and printing

It’s going to be a hot day here in Canberra today (32C/90F) and it’s just going to get hotter as the week progresses. I’ve got the new house all locked up in an attempt to trap what cool air is left inside.

Heat is just one of the problems pregnant women face. It always seems so much hotter than it really is, so now that summer’s in full force, I’m finding myself hot an exhausted all the time.

I posted a while ago about how temperature affects printing. Yes, printing is better for the press in summer, just not me when I’m pregnant! (Also, note the last paragraph of that entry – me dreaming of having a new studio. See? Dreams do come true!)

Another big factor that affects pregnant women in the studio is toxic fumes. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I started wearing a respirator to block out the fumes. It works exceptionally well, and it’s nice finishing up the day without having a head full of toxic smells. The downsides? They’re hot, and it’s like having a mini steamroom on your face. You can’t sing with it on (which I do a lot of when I print) because of the restricted airflow. And sneezing is like a monsoon. Ew.

There have been studies into the affects of offset printing ink fumes on the unborn baby, and it’s all bad news, so putting up with the respirator is worth it. I also wear an apron and gloves, which is a good idea when printing regardless of who you are.

Morning sickness and constant tiredness have been the biggest issues though. I was one of those unlucky women who gets morning sickness for a few months, and it was the sickest I have ever been. It started at the busiest time for Poppy, too. Now I’m not sick anymore, but the tiredness looks like it’s here to stay. So I’m getting used to limiting what I can do in one setting, and how much work I can take on.

Of course, the most obvious thing I’m dealing with though is the big belly. And it’s already big at 20 weeks. Very cute until you need to stand at the press and reach for the paper while the press is running. Or stretch up to grab the guillotine handle. Or reach across the desk to grab a pen.

I’d love to hear about the experiences of other women who have worked through pregnancy, whether in printing or elsewhere. What restriction did you have? How did you cope?